How MAGA Sheriff Chad Bianco is shaking up the 2026 California gubernatorial primary
Key takeaways
- Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a GOP candidate for governor, and Kate Monroe, CEO of VETCOMM, speak with people in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles. .
- It’s a message that has clearly resonated with a slice of the California electorate.
- It’s also a message receiving increased scrutiny as the June 2 primary nears, from rival candidates on both sides of the political aisle.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is interviewed after the California gubernatorial debate at the Skirball Cultural Center on Wednesday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) By Kevin Rector and Hailey Wang May 9, 2026 3 AM PT 13 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
Chad Bianco’s campaign for California governor leans heavily on his years as Riverside County sheriff, a record that has drawn praise from voters yearning to return to a tough-on-crime era and harsh criticism from others who consider him a far-right affront to the rule of law.
The stout, mustached Republican is running an unapologetic campaign against the “Democrat policies that have destroyed this state,” launching into angry diatribes about, as he sees it, the left’s failed record in California in debate after debate, on social media and in news interviews, during which where he often accuses the media of being complicit.